Americans are buying bigger homes and on average, to house fewer people. Ironically, their satisfaction in housing choice has eroded somewhat over the last twenty years.
"More people will buy bigger even if they don’t need it," says staff of the Urban Land Institute. "The last three decades have seen homes grow simply because they can. From 1975 to 2005, the average size of a new singleâ€"family home grew by 48 percent, according to the Census Bureau's 2005 survey of new housing, released this summer."
The research into three decades of housing data reveals "the desire to trade up has been fueled by the growth in personal income in the 1990s. That put more shoppers in a position to afford bigger homes."
ULI's senior fellow for housing, John McIlwain considers the selection of larger homes consistent with Americans’ out-sized choices in other areas --"cars…TV sets…hamburgers," and the tendency does not just affect single-family homebuyers. "Units in multi-family buildings are bigger too."
Thanks to D. A. Varnado, AICP
FULL STORY: Hefty appetite for super-size homes

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service